Without a plan, and having limited time to prepare a snack and share it with friends over a glass of wine, and living room atmosphere, also allowing us to be standing up and share from a plate in the middle of it all, helping in creating a day party (including children), and also looking for an easy way of 'expensive taste' and also 'not aiming at getting stuffed' as we would under a normal dinner party with invitations, I ve come up with the following recipie: tried and tested to be an absolute 'success' combined with a glass of white wine (only for the adults in the party).
Main ingredients bought from an average grocery store:
Puff pastry
Mozarella
Ham (cooked)
Tomatoes
Eggs (hard boiled)
Butter (melted)
Preheat the oven whilst preparing the 'greek zamponotyropitta' (ie. Ham and cheese 'pie'). Roll out the pastry and cut out in a circle. Put sliced ham on and mozzarella broken into pieces. On top slices of tomatoes. Season (salt and pepper). Take one side of the pastry and over to the other side (shape of a semi circle). With a fork push the edge round the semi circle. Pierce the top with your fork (a couple of times). Brush melted butter and put in the oven. (Usually brownish after 15-20 mins). Boil an egg (secret put some salt into the boiling water so the egg doesn't crack). It needs to be hard boiled (10 mins). When the pie is cooked, take it out on a big plate , cut it in pieces (that way its not so hot when you eat it). Peel the shell out of the hard boiled egg and cut it in thick pieces (at the side of the same plate) and season with salt and cayenne pepper.
You can add some crisps on the side of the plate or a little salad portion of your choice. When you hold it up for your friends to come and share its the 'party' way and also you can make more (one plate between two friends) and still you can stand up, share and conveniently gets you out of the 'formality' of sitting around a table. A Quick Fix of 'expensive taste and party atmosphere. Secret : it has to be enjoyed straight out of the oven for maximum pleasure. As you make the plater (s) you can still allow your 'party friends' to stand with their shared plate by you in the kitchen, and eat . This combination of simple flavours is 'surpisingly' tasteful too!
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
for the kids
One of the most difficult tasks of any mum is to ...make their children eat a lot and in a healthy way. However, some 'treats' are healthy, especially chocolate! Funnily enough, chocolate has a lot of concentration calories and calories in general. It is suggested to university students, that after a long night of revising before the actual exam, they should eat a bar of chocolate to actually 'wake up' and energise their minds, although tired, to perform well in the exam.
As children are energetic and go to school too, a bar of chocolate won't harm them. Of course not every day but it is not as bad as mums and dads think.
Also, the taste buds of an adult are different than those of children. Adults who don't drink prefer less fat in their eating habits. However, people who drink prefer a fatty breakfast or a late night fatty snack. The way we eat is judged by our family background, personal preference and money, but also the media. In UK and all over the West there have been massive media and marketing efforts to 'eat our veggies' or 'eat healthily'. Also, Jamie Oliver, a very funky chef, has introduced 'healthy eating' in schools, by managing the same budget available to them too.
An amateur chef like me, also working with my Little Cook too, my 5 year old, I have introduced the spirit of 'cooking' in my household. Let's face it, instead of staring at the telly or..the wall, preparing a meal is an art but also a game, and also a sociable aim too. In my daughters school, they have an hour of cooking class which is optional, and in fact my background, makes me feel so surprised that lots of little boys join, and more surprised that their mums and dads approve of that too.
I feel through my 'very special recipies' I can influence the 'international' idea for cooking in my daughters class too (obviously adjusted by me and in the end the teachers , so that the kids can understand the main idea).Also the aim is to understand that food is an interaction of culture and different countries, but share a similar idea : sitting around a table and eat with our family and friends.
Not to condemn telly or ds games, but today we have less and less communication in our lifes, relationships are based on materialism and self or social power. Through the love of cooking and eating together in our home, the reaction of seeking communication and love would probably warm us up later in life.
As children are energetic and go to school too, a bar of chocolate won't harm them. Of course not every day but it is not as bad as mums and dads think.
Also, the taste buds of an adult are different than those of children. Adults who don't drink prefer less fat in their eating habits. However, people who drink prefer a fatty breakfast or a late night fatty snack. The way we eat is judged by our family background, personal preference and money, but also the media. In UK and all over the West there have been massive media and marketing efforts to 'eat our veggies' or 'eat healthily'. Also, Jamie Oliver, a very funky chef, has introduced 'healthy eating' in schools, by managing the same budget available to them too.
An amateur chef like me, also working with my Little Cook too, my 5 year old, I have introduced the spirit of 'cooking' in my household. Let's face it, instead of staring at the telly or..the wall, preparing a meal is an art but also a game, and also a sociable aim too. In my daughters school, they have an hour of cooking class which is optional, and in fact my background, makes me feel so surprised that lots of little boys join, and more surprised that their mums and dads approve of that too.
I feel through my 'very special recipies' I can influence the 'international' idea for cooking in my daughters class too (obviously adjusted by me and in the end the teachers , so that the kids can understand the main idea).Also the aim is to understand that food is an interaction of culture and different countries, but share a similar idea : sitting around a table and eat with our family and friends.
Not to condemn telly or ds games, but today we have less and less communication in our lifes, relationships are based on materialism and self or social power. Through the love of cooking and eating together in our home, the reaction of seeking communication and love would probably warm us up later in life.
One for the Kids....Yummy!
Sometimes people eat and/or cook their own favourites at home, wherever side of the world they are in, on and on over the years without realising that many of those dishes 'came' from a different country.
In an attempt to help young children nowadays understand what is really the food they eat, I ve decided to provide their 'favourite' recipies ;
So let's start with....
'Can I have some PIZZA mum?'
Usually children refer to Margarita when they call out for Pizza, although Pizza can be Vezouvio, Meaty,Napolitan, Vegeterian etc.
Margarita is the 'basis' for most Pizzas, as it made by the basic Pizza dough, tomatoe sauce for pizza and sprinkle cheese. The simplicity of the Margarita makes it the favourite for children as they don't need to taste and test and possibly reject 'strange' ingredients as for example other pizza toppings: anchovies, spicy chicken etc.
Also , not only kids but also some adults don't know that Pizza generally is from a place called...Italy. Italians eat pizza and pasta daily. And my question is: 'why do they keep slim and healthy?'...but that will be answered in another chapter.
How do we make it?
Basic Pizza dough (medium crust)
Tomatoe sauce
Sprinkle cheese
Roll out the Pizza dough into the shape of a circle, allowing the outside circle end to be thicker than the inside. Spread out, with the back of a spoon, the tomatoe sauce and sprinkle a generous amount of grated cheese (cheddar, or mozzarela) all over the base. Place on an oven tray in a preheated oven and cook on medium heat for about 20 mins. Check when the cheese has cooked and starts to get brownish, and take it out to cool down for 5 mins and cut into triangles and serve! Gusto Perfecto (in Italian it means: perfect taste!)
'Mum!!! Make some Hot Dogs tonight!'
Hot Dogs is a derived German end, Die Wurste, which means the well known 'sandwich' with the special sausages in a long soft bread roll, sprinkled with ketchup usually. Germans make sure they have a couple during their driving stops in Autobang (motorway), but they are popular with..hot mustard and the sausage is put through the bread roll 'vertically'. It is a fact that 'hot dogs' were made popular by USA and enjoyed all over the world.
It looks easy to make and in the UK the special sausages are even sold in a can with a smaller version sausages, perfect for 'small' tummies.
Also, there is an old english version : the sausage rolls (very popular and in different sizes), originally made in the farm kitchens along with scotch eggs.
Daddies can barbeque lightly the sausages for the Hot Dogs, or mummies can oven cook them or lightly fry them, as they are smoked cooked before they are put in the cans by the factories. The secret for a perfect sausage is to cut it through vertically but only on the top . While frying or baking them warm up the bread roll in the oven. Take the bread out and cut it vertically and place the hot sausage inside. A thin line of ketchup (or mustard) on the sausage..makes it a Gooden Abend! (Nice evening in German). Or ' woohoo' (yeah! In usa) or 'lovely jumbly' (how nice in old english).
A tasteful Tapa for Children
Spanish Tapas are like the greek Meze , tiny snack dishes, usually aimed for adults. Tapas come from Spain solely. Here we will try to make a kids friendly one, simple and tasty. Mummy is always tired and she might work a lot too so if you need something quick to enjoy ask for this:
Enchilada with ham and cheese
Puff pastry
Your favourite cheese
Ham
A spoonful of ketchup
Butter
Roll out puff pastry (from the shop)
Use a round glass and cut circles of the pastry. Brush melted butter on them and place cuts of cheese and ham in the centre and put a bit of ketchup on them. Bring one end of the pastry over the ham and cheese mixture, to bring it to the shape of a semicirle. With a fork press the ends of the semicircle to seal it. With a knife make a small cut on the top and bake in a hot oven for about 15 mins or till the 'enchiladas' turn light brown. Astaluego: in Spanish it means 'See you later'
Greek meatballs platter
My daughter loves this and I am tempted to cook it for her friends also. This platter contains 5 greek meze dishes each downsized to a tiny portion for kids to enjoy variety and very healthy eating, seasoned with lemon and olive oil which makes it very Nostimo (tasty in greek).
For the basic 'hidden meze': the meatballs, be prepared for a lot of work and preparation but only for the first day.
1 Onion (grated)
Steak Mince 250gr
Old bread (soaked in water for a min or two)(squish the water out with your palms)
One egg (lightly beaten)
A handful of chopped up parsley
(Optional some chopped up mint)
Salt and pepper (a bit)
Mix all ingredients well with your hands. Roll small balls of the mix and...
Flour
Roll them on a plate with flour. Dust them out lightly.
Olive oil
Heat up olive oil in a non stick pan (but don't let it get too hot) and place the meatballs inside and let them cook, turn them round in the oil until they are brown. Take out with a slaughted spoon and squish
Lemon on them while hot.
(You can keep the mix for two days in the fridge and cook as much as you want for the two days).
Feta cheese
Cut a thick piece of feta sprinkle some olive oil and oregano on top.
Tzatziki
You may buy it ready from the dip section in the supermarket. Or make it as there is an easy recipie for it.
The Greek Platter
Use a big shallow plate. Put 3-4 meatballs, a spoonful of tzatziki, chips, some feta (as prepared), tomatoe and cucumber cut in small pieces. Warm up some pitta bread and cut it in pieces to serve with the platter. Kali Orexi! (Good Apettite in greek)
Chicken Souvlaki/kebab
This dish is healthy and kids love it. Its best done on a barbeque but they can be cooked in a non stick pan. Greeks and Turks have similar dishes in their kitchen. Souvlaki is the greek word for the turkish term 'kebab', although 'kebab' is the most english friendly word for it. The most 'boring' procedure is the marinating but then that's what gives it the irresistable and unique flavour. So...for the little tastebuds get ready Big Cook.
Two chicken breasts cut in thick cubes
Olive oil (just under half a cup)
Oregano (two pinches)
Pepper
Put the chicken in a large bowl, add oregano, oil and pepper and let marinate for 6 hours tossing here and there.
When ready to cook, drain the chicken and put through a squer , alternating large pieces of green pepper and onion. Grill or barbeque and squish some lemon over them when ready. You can eat them with chips and.
.ketchup.
Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Mistake
All kids love cookies or..bikies...especially when they know mum has stocked them up for..special occasions, somewhere in the kitchen cupboards.
Now, the very popular choco chip ones are in fact...some American woman's ..mistake, that happened in the late 30s. Her name was ....... She and her husband owned a bed and breakfast and she was responsible for making the breakfast for the guests. She was making the 'butter biscuit' recipie when she thought of adding a Nestle unsweetened chocolate bar , that she broke into pieces, aiming at turning the butter biscuits into chocolate ones. However, to her surprise and to everybody elses till now delight, the chocolate chips didn't melt after baking the cookies, they remained as they were within the cooked biscuits!
Mexican Tortillas ...simplified
We have all tried them. The tortilla wraps are now sold in all supermarkets, a hidden meaning that they are very popular within the British market. Also, burittos and chicken wrap packs etc.
In my home, my Little Cook loves a derived personal version: The Chip Wrap.
Easy to make, difficult to resist.
Tortilla Wrap
Chips
Greek Yoghurt
Slices of cucumber
Pinch of salt
Fry or oven bake the chips
Warm up the wrap for less than a min. Lay it flat on a large plate. Spread a large spoon of Greek yoghurt.Put the desired amount of cooked chips on it. Sprinkle evenly the chopped cucumber. A pinch of salt over the ingredients. Roll the tortilla carefully over. Irresistable!
In an attempt to help young children nowadays understand what is really the food they eat, I ve decided to provide their 'favourite' recipies ;
So let's start with....
'Can I have some PIZZA mum?'
Usually children refer to Margarita when they call out for Pizza, although Pizza can be Vezouvio, Meaty,Napolitan, Vegeterian etc.
Margarita is the 'basis' for most Pizzas, as it made by the basic Pizza dough, tomatoe sauce for pizza and sprinkle cheese. The simplicity of the Margarita makes it the favourite for children as they don't need to taste and test and possibly reject 'strange' ingredients as for example other pizza toppings: anchovies, spicy chicken etc.
Also , not only kids but also some adults don't know that Pizza generally is from a place called...Italy. Italians eat pizza and pasta daily. And my question is: 'why do they keep slim and healthy?'...but that will be answered in another chapter.
How do we make it?
Basic Pizza dough (medium crust)
Tomatoe sauce
Sprinkle cheese
Roll out the Pizza dough into the shape of a circle, allowing the outside circle end to be thicker than the inside. Spread out, with the back of a spoon, the tomatoe sauce and sprinkle a generous amount of grated cheese (cheddar, or mozzarela) all over the base. Place on an oven tray in a preheated oven and cook on medium heat for about 20 mins. Check when the cheese has cooked and starts to get brownish, and take it out to cool down for 5 mins and cut into triangles and serve! Gusto Perfecto (in Italian it means: perfect taste!)
'Mum!!! Make some Hot Dogs tonight!'
Hot Dogs is a derived German end, Die Wurste, which means the well known 'sandwich' with the special sausages in a long soft bread roll, sprinkled with ketchup usually. Germans make sure they have a couple during their driving stops in Autobang (motorway), but they are popular with..hot mustard and the sausage is put through the bread roll 'vertically'. It is a fact that 'hot dogs' were made popular by USA and enjoyed all over the world.
It looks easy to make and in the UK the special sausages are even sold in a can with a smaller version sausages, perfect for 'small' tummies.
Also, there is an old english version : the sausage rolls (very popular and in different sizes), originally made in the farm kitchens along with scotch eggs.
Daddies can barbeque lightly the sausages for the Hot Dogs, or mummies can oven cook them or lightly fry them, as they are smoked cooked before they are put in the cans by the factories. The secret for a perfect sausage is to cut it through vertically but only on the top . While frying or baking them warm up the bread roll in the oven. Take the bread out and cut it vertically and place the hot sausage inside. A thin line of ketchup (or mustard) on the sausage..makes it a Gooden Abend! (Nice evening in German). Or ' woohoo' (yeah! In usa) or 'lovely jumbly' (how nice in old english).
A tasteful Tapa for Children
Spanish Tapas are like the greek Meze , tiny snack dishes, usually aimed for adults. Tapas come from Spain solely. Here we will try to make a kids friendly one, simple and tasty. Mummy is always tired and she might work a lot too so if you need something quick to enjoy ask for this:
Enchilada with ham and cheese
Puff pastry
Your favourite cheese
Ham
A spoonful of ketchup
Butter
Roll out puff pastry (from the shop)
Use a round glass and cut circles of the pastry. Brush melted butter on them and place cuts of cheese and ham in the centre and put a bit of ketchup on them. Bring one end of the pastry over the ham and cheese mixture, to bring it to the shape of a semicirle. With a fork press the ends of the semicircle to seal it. With a knife make a small cut on the top and bake in a hot oven for about 15 mins or till the 'enchiladas' turn light brown. Astaluego: in Spanish it means 'See you later'
Greek meatballs platter
My daughter loves this and I am tempted to cook it for her friends also. This platter contains 5 greek meze dishes each downsized to a tiny portion for kids to enjoy variety and very healthy eating, seasoned with lemon and olive oil which makes it very Nostimo (tasty in greek).
For the basic 'hidden meze': the meatballs, be prepared for a lot of work and preparation but only for the first day.
1 Onion (grated)
Steak Mince 250gr
Old bread (soaked in water for a min or two)(squish the water out with your palms)
One egg (lightly beaten)
A handful of chopped up parsley
(Optional some chopped up mint)
Salt and pepper (a bit)
Mix all ingredients well with your hands. Roll small balls of the mix and...
Flour
Roll them on a plate with flour. Dust them out lightly.
Olive oil
Heat up olive oil in a non stick pan (but don't let it get too hot) and place the meatballs inside and let them cook, turn them round in the oil until they are brown. Take out with a slaughted spoon and squish
Lemon on them while hot.
(You can keep the mix for two days in the fridge and cook as much as you want for the two days).
Feta cheese
Cut a thick piece of feta sprinkle some olive oil and oregano on top.
Tzatziki
You may buy it ready from the dip section in the supermarket. Or make it as there is an easy recipie for it.
The Greek Platter
Use a big shallow plate. Put 3-4 meatballs, a spoonful of tzatziki, chips, some feta (as prepared), tomatoe and cucumber cut in small pieces. Warm up some pitta bread and cut it in pieces to serve with the platter. Kali Orexi! (Good Apettite in greek)
Chicken Souvlaki/kebab
This dish is healthy and kids love it. Its best done on a barbeque but they can be cooked in a non stick pan. Greeks and Turks have similar dishes in their kitchen. Souvlaki is the greek word for the turkish term 'kebab', although 'kebab' is the most english friendly word for it. The most 'boring' procedure is the marinating but then that's what gives it the irresistable and unique flavour. So...for the little tastebuds get ready Big Cook.
Two chicken breasts cut in thick cubes
Olive oil (just under half a cup)
Oregano (two pinches)
Pepper
Put the chicken in a large bowl, add oregano, oil and pepper and let marinate for 6 hours tossing here and there.
When ready to cook, drain the chicken and put through a squer , alternating large pieces of green pepper and onion. Grill or barbeque and squish some lemon over them when ready. You can eat them with chips and.
.ketchup.
Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Mistake
All kids love cookies or..bikies...especially when they know mum has stocked them up for..special occasions, somewhere in the kitchen cupboards.
Now, the very popular choco chip ones are in fact...some American woman's ..mistake, that happened in the late 30s. Her name was ....... She and her husband owned a bed and breakfast and she was responsible for making the breakfast for the guests. She was making the 'butter biscuit' recipie when she thought of adding a Nestle unsweetened chocolate bar , that she broke into pieces, aiming at turning the butter biscuits into chocolate ones. However, to her surprise and to everybody elses till now delight, the chocolate chips didn't melt after baking the cookies, they remained as they were within the cooked biscuits!
Mexican Tortillas ...simplified
We have all tried them. The tortilla wraps are now sold in all supermarkets, a hidden meaning that they are very popular within the British market. Also, burittos and chicken wrap packs etc.
In my home, my Little Cook loves a derived personal version: The Chip Wrap.
Easy to make, difficult to resist.
Tortilla Wrap
Chips
Greek Yoghurt
Slices of cucumber
Pinch of salt
Fry or oven bake the chips
Warm up the wrap for less than a min. Lay it flat on a large plate. Spread a large spoon of Greek yoghurt.Put the desired amount of cooked chips on it. Sprinkle evenly the chopped cucumber. A pinch of salt over the ingredients. Roll the tortilla carefully over. Irresistable!
Monday, 24 January 2011
Iced cold Frappe
The overly popular greek frappe, is enjoyed by most adults in Greece, adjusted to a european 'frappucino' or 'latte chiller'. But really frappe came from...France, frappe means 'shaken' in french. However, its french origin, its the No 1 coffee in consumption in Greece for the last 35 yrs! Some prefer drinking it only in summer, but can be enjoyed in winter.
Its easy peasy to make: (adjust sugar and milk to your taste)
1.5 tsp of strong instant coffee
1 tsp sugar
Some milk
Ice cubes
Straw
Use a large, long glass. Put the coffee and sugar in, add a tbs of water. The secret is to then use a very strong handheld mixer or frother. Mix well trying not to touch the glass. When its thick and creamy add ice cubes till up to the top. Pour in iced cold water and a bit of milk. Stir with a straw and ...drink slowly.
Its easy peasy to make: (adjust sugar and milk to your taste)
1.5 tsp of strong instant coffee
1 tsp sugar
Some milk
Ice cubes
Straw
Use a large, long glass. Put the coffee and sugar in, add a tbs of water. The secret is to then use a very strong handheld mixer or frother. Mix well trying not to touch the glass. When its thick and creamy add ice cubes till up to the top. Pour in iced cold water and a bit of milk. Stir with a straw and ...drink slowly.
White Cabbage salad
This salad is made with sort of the same ingredients as the english coleslaw. It omits the mayo and replaces it with lemon and olive oil. Its again a very easy to make recipie. Its origin is from Greece, especially enjoyed in winter.
Cabbage (white)
Carrots
Green olives
Olive oil
Lemon
Salt
All you need to do is chop thinly the cabbage and put in a large bowl. Grate a few fresh carrotts on top. Add the olives. And pour the olive oil and squeeze a lemon all over the salad. Toss well and enjoy with..perhaps a greek omelette or a greek roast ! Kali orexi!
Cabbage (white)
Carrots
Green olives
Olive oil
Lemon
Salt
All you need to do is chop thinly the cabbage and put in a large bowl. Grate a few fresh carrotts on top. Add the olives. And pour the olive oil and squeeze a lemon all over the salad. Toss well and enjoy with..perhaps a greek omelette or a greek roast ! Kali orexi!
My favourite Tortilla WRAP
We all know tortilla wraps are sold all over the world now, and not just in Mexico or Latin America.
Most Mexican wraps contain some type of meat and green peppers with garlic sauce or quakomole.
After creating all sorts of tortilla wraps, my favourite one is a mixture of Latin and Greek ingredients.
Its very easy to make and there goes:
Chips (oven)
Chicken souvlaki
Sliced tomatoe
Sliced onion
Greek yoghurt
Large white tortilla
Fry or oven bake chips. And do loads so you have enough for the side too. Chicken souvlaki is made by basically marinating chicken small pieces and pierce through on a sqewer and fry till brown, finish by squizing a lemon on it. Warm up a tortilla in the oven for about a min, before you take the chips out. Put your tortilla on a piece of thick tinfoil. Spread a tbs of greek yoghurt. Put on the pieces of souvlaki chicken. Add loads of chips and the slices of tomatoe and onion. Wrap it all up with the tinfoil and eat! Absolutely yum!
I normally like to drink a diet fizzy cola with it!
Most Mexican wraps contain some type of meat and green peppers with garlic sauce or quakomole.
After creating all sorts of tortilla wraps, my favourite one is a mixture of Latin and Greek ingredients.
Its very easy to make and there goes:
Chips (oven)
Chicken souvlaki
Sliced tomatoe
Sliced onion
Greek yoghurt
Large white tortilla
Fry or oven bake chips. And do loads so you have enough for the side too. Chicken souvlaki is made by basically marinating chicken small pieces and pierce through on a sqewer and fry till brown, finish by squizing a lemon on it. Warm up a tortilla in the oven for about a min, before you take the chips out. Put your tortilla on a piece of thick tinfoil. Spread a tbs of greek yoghurt. Put on the pieces of souvlaki chicken. Add loads of chips and the slices of tomatoe and onion. Wrap it all up with the tinfoil and eat! Absolutely yum!
I normally like to drink a diet fizzy cola with it!
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Pastitsio..an awsome greek pasta bake!
When I was growing up, my mum along with the rest of the greek nation treated Pastitsio as a Saturday or Sunday food, very special, and it was well appreciated when she made it for us. The main smell when that pasta was baking was..nutmeg! Funnily enough Pastitsio is a bit nouveaux, was created after the 2nd WW. And unlike old fashioned greek dishes, its origin is nearer to the Italian cuisine. The recipe I use is my mum's and has a few improved points by me; eg more cheese!
I can guarantee that a large percentage of people actually trying this would absolutely love it!
Am feeling a bit 'possesive' here, in actually keeping this only for myself!!I just hope you are having as much fun as me in this yummy blog!
Pastitsio is a unique dish, although it would come under the chapter of the well known and generally viewed 'pasta bakes'! It takes a while to make it but believe me its worth all the effort! Make sure you make a large tray of Pastitsio as you can put large squares of it in separate plastics and put in the freezer, to be warmed up in a microwave next time you fancy it!
Oriste!
500gr penne pasta (dried)
400gr grated cheese
500gr mince meat
A tin of tomatoes
Breadcrumbs
An onion
Bechamel sauce
In a large pot boil the pasta in water as per instructions. Drain and lather it with loads of butter and leave it on the side. Meanwhile cook a grated onion on olive oil in a large pan.add the mince and cook till it gets brown but not burned. Add the can of chopped tomatoes and pour some water in and cook at med heat till the sauce looks thick. Layer a large tray with half the cooked pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheese on top and layer the mince sauce on top. Add grated cheese again and spread out the rest of the pasta on top. Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the last layer of pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheeseand breadcrumbs and splash of water. Bake in a hot oven for about 45 mins or till the top looks brown and cooked.
It goes very well with greek salad or feta cheese on its own. Kali orexi!
I can guarantee that a large percentage of people actually trying this would absolutely love it!
Am feeling a bit 'possesive' here, in actually keeping this only for myself!!I just hope you are having as much fun as me in this yummy blog!
Pastitsio is a unique dish, although it would come under the chapter of the well known and generally viewed 'pasta bakes'! It takes a while to make it but believe me its worth all the effort! Make sure you make a large tray of Pastitsio as you can put large squares of it in separate plastics and put in the freezer, to be warmed up in a microwave next time you fancy it!
Oriste!
500gr penne pasta (dried)
400gr grated cheese
500gr mince meat
A tin of tomatoes
Breadcrumbs
An onion
Bechamel sauce
In a large pot boil the pasta in water as per instructions. Drain and lather it with loads of butter and leave it on the side. Meanwhile cook a grated onion on olive oil in a large pan.add the mince and cook till it gets brown but not burned. Add the can of chopped tomatoes and pour some water in and cook at med heat till the sauce looks thick. Layer a large tray with half the cooked pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheese on top and layer the mince sauce on top. Add grated cheese again and spread out the rest of the pasta on top. Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the last layer of pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheeseand breadcrumbs and splash of water. Bake in a hot oven for about 45 mins or till the top looks brown and cooked.
It goes very well with greek salad or feta cheese on its own. Kali orexi!
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Georgina's home made paella
Paella rice
Chicken cut up
Onion
Green peppers
Tin tomatoes
Chicken stock
Paprika
Olive oil
Salt
Georgina comes from Spain and she is married to a very gorgeous english man for 10 yrs. Her daughters astonished me in the school presentations and plays. My broken spanish was not necessary to talk to her. In the favour of my blog I ve asked her to provide me with her spanish local paella recipie. A call to her sister in Spain brought up this chicken version of paella, homemade and fit for 2 portions. Usually paella is made during spanish festivals and have personally witnessed an enormous paella made to feed thousands of people in Spain. The tables were laid out on the main road and covered 10km of the road. But for us to try it at home, freshly delivered by a a spanish household, Georgina provided the following paella recipie. On talking with Georgina, I ve discovered that the paprika used in almost all spanish dishes, is meant to add ..colouring to the food, and not so much flavour to it!
So here it is:
First we fry the chicken in a medium saucepan. Next fry the onion and green peppers separately and gradually add the chopped up tin tomatoes. Add the paella rice. Next we use a big pot or pan and pour in all ingredients so far, add paprika and chicken stock to the mixture. Season to taste. Cook on high heat for ten mins and lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for ten mins. Make sure your sauce is not too dry or too much. Remove the paella and let it rest for 10 mins. Mucho gusto!
Another version of paella substitutes the chicken with prawns. Of course there are many other versions of this popular dish. But we ll see to that in another version of the book.astaluego!
Chicken cut up
Onion
Green peppers
Tin tomatoes
Chicken stock
Paprika
Olive oil
Salt
Georgina comes from Spain and she is married to a very gorgeous english man for 10 yrs. Her daughters astonished me in the school presentations and plays. My broken spanish was not necessary to talk to her. In the favour of my blog I ve asked her to provide me with her spanish local paella recipie. A call to her sister in Spain brought up this chicken version of paella, homemade and fit for 2 portions. Usually paella is made during spanish festivals and have personally witnessed an enormous paella made to feed thousands of people in Spain. The tables were laid out on the main road and covered 10km of the road. But for us to try it at home, freshly delivered by a a spanish household, Georgina provided the following paella recipie. On talking with Georgina, I ve discovered that the paprika used in almost all spanish dishes, is meant to add ..colouring to the food, and not so much flavour to it!
So here it is:
First we fry the chicken in a medium saucepan. Next fry the onion and green peppers separately and gradually add the chopped up tin tomatoes. Add the paella rice. Next we use a big pot or pan and pour in all ingredients so far, add paprika and chicken stock to the mixture. Season to taste. Cook on high heat for ten mins and lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for ten mins. Make sure your sauce is not too dry or too much. Remove the paella and let it rest for 10 mins. Mucho gusto!
Another version of paella substitutes the chicken with prawns. Of course there are many other versions of this popular dish. But we ll see to that in another version of the book.astaluego!
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
a french suggestion for a wine snack
Personally I like eating cheese very much, any kind from any place. Drinking and snacking is a good 'marriage' as well the fact that chosen snacks bring out the wine flavour better. Once I ve been to one of the Hilton restaurants in London for a meal with some friends. What stroke me was the listed 'desert' on the menu: a platter of cheese selection and grapes. When they brought it over the platter contained : blue cheese, a large cheddar slice, gryere, and gouda. In a separate bowl there was grapes. A dry white wine also arrived and the waiter opened it there and then. The superb combination of cheese, grapes and wine will leave you savouring the taste and looking forward to it again. La premiere vin blanc snack!
Mandy's faux Shepherds Pie
Mandy is a young single mum and living in a hostel. As I always invite friends for dinner, she did come to some. In a thankful note she put in a recipie for me to try it. I must admit it was an english dish that stood out in my 20 yrs experience of english food tasting. Its a baked dish with lots of mash like Shepherds Pie. So according to Mandy:
Potatoes
Milk
Butter
1 onion
Baked beans
Lots of grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes till they are soft. Put in a bowl and mash. Add some milk and season. Add some butter and mash again till the mixture is soft and smooth. Add the onion chopped into small pieces. Mix it in with a fork. Empty a can of baked beans in a baking tray. Spread them out evenly to cover the bottom of the tray. Spread out the mash on top. Sprinkle lots of cheese on the mash and bake in the oven for half an hour and grill it before you take it out, or until the cheese has become golden and crunchy. Spoon it out into portions, try to keep the layers as they are originally.
Potatoes
Milk
Butter
1 onion
Baked beans
Lots of grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes till they are soft. Put in a bowl and mash. Add some milk and season. Add some butter and mash again till the mixture is soft and smooth. Add the onion chopped into small pieces. Mix it in with a fork. Empty a can of baked beans in a baking tray. Spread them out evenly to cover the bottom of the tray. Spread out the mash on top. Sprinkle lots of cheese on the mash and bake in the oven for half an hour and grill it before you take it out, or until the cheese has become golden and crunchy. Spoon it out into portions, try to keep the layers as they are originally.
the Danish Father Christmas pudding
When I got my first job, I was sharing a tiny apartment in London, with a Danish girl called Utta. Nearer to Christmas Utta decided to make a pudding, similar to rice pudding. She explained to me that this is what they call in Denmark 'Santa's pudding'. I was watching the milk going in by the gallon, and was wondering how much more she would put in. Finally after a couple of hours she offered me a plate of it ...when I tried it,all I could say was: Wow! So if you wish to try Santas food, and maybe leave some outside on Christmas eve, instead of the traditional chocolate cookie, then follow Utta's instructions.
1 cup of white rice
1.5lt full fat milk
Lots of sugar
Lots of cinnamon
A little secret before you start cooking,hohoho : for best results cook on low heat. Although it will take a long time that way, you minimise the chances of burning the milk.
Bring half the milk to boil in a pan or a pot. Put in the rice and stir it slowly as it boils. Add more milk and stir. When it has absorbed all the milk, pour some of it on a flat plate. Literally, hold the bag of sugar and pour on the rice mix, slowly and generously. Put plenty of cinnamon on it too. Of course the pudding is...veeery fattening, so try it out only at
Christmas.
1 cup of white rice
1.5lt full fat milk
Lots of sugar
Lots of cinnamon
A little secret before you start cooking,hohoho : for best results cook on low heat. Although it will take a long time that way, you minimise the chances of burning the milk.
Bring half the milk to boil in a pan or a pot. Put in the rice and stir it slowly as it boils. Add more milk and stir. When it has absorbed all the milk, pour some of it on a flat plate. Literally, hold the bag of sugar and pour on the rice mix, slowly and generously. Put plenty of cinnamon on it too. Of course the pudding is...veeery fattening, so try it out only at
Christmas.
Am I thinking of a slimming Ratatouille?
Dieting is not that bad..as long as the food you eat during dieting is tasty and filling. Generally, vegetables, fruits lots of water, reduced fat food products are always ..allowed. When dieting its best to visit a dietician who will assess your dieting needs and find the appropriate diet plan for you.
The following dish is a low calorie one and is similar to the french 'ratatouile'. It contains vegetables only but you can adjust it to your favourite vegetables only.
So...here we are;
Courgettes
Aubergines
Onion
Red pepper
Potatoe
One tin of canned tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt\pepper
Chop up all your vegetables into cubes or rounds. Put some olive oil in a pan and drop the vegetables in. Cook at low heat for a few mins. Add the can of tomatoes and season. Pour a cup of water in, stir and let to cook at medium heat. It will probably take you 30 - 45 mins for the veggies to soften up. You can eat it on its own or with some feta cheese and crusty bread. Bon appetite.
The following dish is a low calorie one and is similar to the french 'ratatouile'. It contains vegetables only but you can adjust it to your favourite vegetables only.
So...here we are;
Courgettes
Aubergines
Onion
Red pepper
Potatoe
One tin of canned tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt\pepper
Chop up all your vegetables into cubes or rounds. Put some olive oil in a pan and drop the vegetables in. Cook at low heat for a few mins. Add the can of tomatoes and season. Pour a cup of water in, stir and let to cook at medium heat. It will probably take you 30 - 45 mins for the veggies to soften up. You can eat it on its own or with some feta cheese and crusty bread. Bon appetite.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
the English Breakfast
Anyone that has done a bit of travelling and staying over in international hotels would say that there are basically 2 breakfast options all over the world: the Continental Breakfast and the English Breakfast. The Continental is a 'hotel' breakfast basically ham, cheese and toast,croissants accompanied with a coffee and orange juice.
But the English Breakfast is a ..UK made tradition. I see it as an end derived from the cold weather and lots of beer drinking.. By that I mean, the full on english breakie is enjoyed best on a hangover and of course its better in winter.
Also, the english breakie is found all over the hotel appartments chaulk boards in Spain and Greece.
Usually it is a bit ..sloppy but as I said before its the best after a night out. So , shall we?
Smoked bacon
Sausages commonly found in UK supermarkets
Mushrooms
Eggs
Toast bread
Choose an old, deep and large pan. Medium heat, buTter instead of oil, can cook chips too if you want, but do it separately. Start with the sausages and bacon, add one egg per person. Fry at low heat and separate from the rest the mushrooms. Also, warm up the most healthy of all, baked beans in a small pan. Toast and butter bread. Use a large plate. Put one buttered slice with the egg on top. Put the bacon and sausages on the side. Add the mushrooms and baked beans.
The secret of the english breakie is the order in which you cook along with managing to keep everything hot when its time to serve. It takes practice, but its no bigger art than spaghetti bolognaise..!
Stuff yourselves !
But the English Breakfast is a ..UK made tradition. I see it as an end derived from the cold weather and lots of beer drinking.. By that I mean, the full on english breakie is enjoyed best on a hangover and of course its better in winter.
Also, the english breakie is found all over the hotel appartments chaulk boards in Spain and Greece.
Usually it is a bit ..sloppy but as I said before its the best after a night out. So , shall we?
Smoked bacon
Sausages commonly found in UK supermarkets
Mushrooms
Eggs
Toast bread
Choose an old, deep and large pan. Medium heat, buTter instead of oil, can cook chips too if you want, but do it separately. Start with the sausages and bacon, add one egg per person. Fry at low heat and separate from the rest the mushrooms. Also, warm up the most healthy of all, baked beans in a small pan. Toast and butter bread. Use a large plate. Put one buttered slice with the egg on top. Put the bacon and sausages on the side. Add the mushrooms and baked beans.
The secret of the english breakie is the order in which you cook along with managing to keep everything hot when its time to serve. It takes practice, but its no bigger art than spaghetti bolognaise..!
Stuff yourselves !
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